SEATTLE NEWS ARCHIVES & FEATURES
Cops are going undercover to catch drivers on their phones
Jun 22, 2016, 3:58 PM | Updated: Jun 23, 2016, 10:57 am
It may look like a mere bystander milling around a street corner — but it’s not, and he’s watching you.
KING 5 reports that the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office has started a new effort to spot drivers using their cellphones — an undercover effort. The sheriff’s office produced an online video to show the operation. It was shot near Bellingham. Despite being open about it, the agency reports stopping up to 50 drivers over cell phone violations in two hours.
It’s a good thing Ron Upshaw, of KIRO Radio’s Ron and Don Show, doesn’t live in Whatcom County. Co-host Don shamed his friend on the air for his bad texting habits.
“Ron texts and drives,” Don pointed out.
“But I’m doing the voice thing,” Ron quickly defended himself, noting that he uses an app that spells out what he is saying. “That’s doesn’t count, does it?”
Sign up for the Ron and Don Show newsletter
“Sure it does,” Don said. “You’re still a distracted driver. He cut me off and almost killed me the other day in his old–man Camry. Then he texts me after he almost demolished my truck.”
Watch out Ron — a ticket for chatting or texting on a phone while driving runs $136, though sometimes Whatcom cops just give a warning. According to the sheriff’s office, distracted driving fatalities went up by 30 percent from 2014 to 2015.
Follow @https://twitter.com/DyerOxley
